Malaysian youths demand PM quit as pandemic worsens

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Hundreds of black-clad Malaysian youth rallied Saturday in central Kuala Lumpur to demand the resignation of the prime minister over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, as new cases soared in a surge that has also become a political crisis.

Public anger against Muhyiddin Yassin's unelected government, which took power in March 2020 after forming a coalition with the opposition, has built up as cases jumped eightfold since January. New daily infections breached 10,000 on July 13 for the first time and have stayed there since, despite a virus emergency in January and a lockdown since June 1. Total deaths have risen to nearly 9,000. Nearly 20% of the population has been fully vaccinated.

The rally added to pressure on Muhyiddin, after his government was reprimanded by Malaysia's king for misleading Parliament over the status of emergency measures.

Muhyiddin obtained royal consent to declare the emergency in January, allowing him to suspend Parliament and rule by ordinance without legislative approval until Aug. 1. Critics have slammed the emergency as a ruse for Muhyiddin to cling to power at a time when his razor-thin majority in Parliament is in jeopardy.

Wearing face masks while holding black flags and placards, the protesters chanted “Fight! Fight!” and “Muhyiddin resign.” Some carried mock corpses wrapped in white cloth to depict the growing virus death toll.

After police blocked them from marching to Independence Square, they sat on the street a meter (3 feet) apart with a large banner that read “The government failed."

They put forward three demands: the resignation of Muhyiddin, resumption of regular parliamentary sessions and automatic loan moratorium to help those hit by the pandemic. They dispersed peacefully after nearly...